Ray Charles
Born
September 23, 1930
Died
June 10, 2004 (73 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Albany, Georgia USA
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.”
Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?"
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Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self
2025

Merci Dorothée !
Self (archive footage)
2025

The Greatest Night in Pop
Self (archive footage)
2024

They All Came Out to Montreux
Self
2023

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2023
Piano Greats at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2022

2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self (archive footage)
2022

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self (archive footage)
2022

Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
2022

Like A Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
Self (archival footage)
2021

I Am Not Your Negro
Self (archive footage)
2017

Face of Unity
Self
2014

Cachitos de hierro y cromo
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2013
Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra
Self
2012

Ray Charles - Live in France 1961
Self
2011

O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Self (archive footage)
2009

Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 1997
Self
2008

Jazz Evolution
Self - Piano, Vocals
2008

Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
Self
2008

Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
Self
2007

Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
Self
2007

Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans
Self
2007

Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia
Self
2006

Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
Self
2006

Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
Self
2006

The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
Self (archive footage)
2005

Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
Self · (6 episodes)
2005

Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963
Self
2004

Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land
Self
2004
Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company
Self
2004

Tom Dowd & The Language of Music
Self
2004

Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues
Self (archive footage)
2004

Rockin' Pianos
Self
2004

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
2004

Piano Blues
Self
2003

The Blues
(1 episode)
2003
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
Self
2003

The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
Self
2002

CMT Crossroads
Self · (1 episode)
2002

Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival
Self
2002

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Self
2001

Star Academy
Self · (1 episode)
2001

Ray Charles - In Concert
Self
2001

The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
2001

The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
2001

Blue's Big Musical Movie
G-Clef (voice)
2000
Quincy Jones...The First 50 Years
Self
1998
Saturday Live
Self · (1 episode)
1996

Spy Hard
Busdriver
1996

Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
Self - Performer
1995

The History of Rock 'n' Roll
Self
1995

The World of Jim Henson
Self (archive footage)
1994

Love Affair
Self
1994

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
Self (archive footage)
1994

Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994

The Nanny
Sammy · (4 episodes)
1993

The John Larroquette Show
Ray Charles · (1 episode)
1993

Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
Self
1993

Montreux Jazz Festival 1991
1991

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Self
1990

Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
Self
1990

Wings
Ray Charles · (1 episode)
1990

Limit Up
Julius
1989

Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
Ray Charles
1989
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
Self
1988

Téléthon
Self · (1 episode)
1987

Super Dave
(1 episode)
1987

Le monde est à vous
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1987

Sacrée soirée
Self · (2 episodes)
1987

The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki
Self
1987
Billy Joel: Building the Bridge
Self
1986

WrestleMania 2
Self
1986

The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Self (archive footage)
1986

Victoires de la musique
Self · (2 episodes)
1985

The Statue of Liberty
Self - Composer
1985

Moonlighting
Ray Charles · (1 episode)
1985

We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
Self
1985

Who's the Boss?
(1 episode)
1984
I Love Quincy
Self
1984
Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul
1983
Hallelujah Gospel
Self
1983

St. Elsewhere
(1 episode)
1982

Champs-Elysées
Self · (2 episodes)
1982

Lynda Carter's Celebration
Self
1981

Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony
Self
1981

Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
Self · (1 episode)
1980
John Schneider: Back Home
1980
Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival
Self
1980

The Blues Brothers
Ray
1980

Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me
1979

The Second Barry Manilow Special
Self
1978

Fats and Friends
Himself

The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · (1 episode)
1978

NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
Self
1978
Bio’s Bahnhof
Self · (1 episode)
1978

The Beatles Forever
Self
1977

Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975

Cher
Self · (1 episode)
1975
The Smothers Brothers Show
(1 episode)
1975

Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments
Self
1973

Musikladen
Self · (1 episode)
1972

The Midnight Special
Host - Self · (1 episode)
1972

The Midnight Special
Self · (1 episode)
1972

The Flip Wilson Show
Self · (3 episodes)
1970

The Johnny Cash Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1969

The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Self · (3 episodes)
1969

Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris
Self
1968

The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
1968

The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1967

The Big T.N.T. Show
Self
1965

Ballad in Blue
Himself
1965

Shindig!
Self - Singer · (1 episode)
1964

The Hollywood Palace
Self - Singer · (1 episode)
1964

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (8 episodes)
1962

The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host · (1 episode)
1961

Swingin' Along
Self
1961

Kraft Music Hall
Self · (1 episode)
1958

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self · (1 episode)
1956

The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (1 episode)
1948